The Dallas Mavericks played their second preseason game against the Utah Jazz, and they were able to get an extra glimpse of some of the depth pieces they have on the team. One of those players was Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who was put into the starting lineup and made the most of his 33 minutes, which was the most on the team.

Proper finished the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds, showing the Mavericks that he can be a contributor in the frontcourt if needed. At the end of the game, Prosper spoke to the media about his improvement and taking advantage of the minutes that he was given.

“My understanding of the NBA game, just how can I be effective out there… Seeing the game better when I'm on defense. Being proactive instead of reactive defensively… The game is slowing down for me,” Prosper said.

“First and foremost I just try to hold down things I can control. It starts with my effort… Just crashing the glass every time. Trying to make it easier for my teammates when I'm out there.”

Can Olivier-Maxence Prosper make impact in 2nd season with Mavericks?

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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (8) defends during the second half at American Airlines Center.
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Olivier-Maxence Propser is coming into his second year in the league, and she's shown some glimpses of potential several times when he's on the floor. In the last two regular season games of his rookie year, Propser averaged 15.5 points, and 7.0 rebounds. Head coach Jason Kidd had nothing but good things to say about him after seeing what he was able to do on the court.

“For O-Max to buy into the plan and to be able to execute the plan, you can see the results in the last two games,” Kidd said. “He's played at a very high level for us.

“Just understanding what the future holds for him is very bright. When you look at his size and his ability to shoot the three and put it on the floor, I'm not saying he's [P.J. Washington] but there are some similarities there.”

PJ Washington is currently dealing with a hip issue which doesn't seem to be serious, but it's a good thing that Prosper has a similar playstyle as him. If Prosper is able to continue to develop, he can be a solid rotational piece that comes off the bench for Washington.

As of now, the only thing Prosper can do is continue to shine and make the most of his minutes in the preseason.